Susan Elizabeth Brook

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. 

Susan Elizabeth Brook, daughter of Silas M. Brook and Lebertha (or Lebitha) Mickelberry, was born in Georgia on April 4, 1838. There were at least three children in the Brook family—John Brook, Sarah Brook, and Susan Elizabeth Brook. She is the wife of my 4th great-uncle, Robert Chester Lankford, the brother of my 3rd great-grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford. We have no common relative. She went by Susie.

Susan’s father died in Oglethorpe County in 1841 when she was just three years old.

On August 6, 1850, Susan lived with her widowed mother Lebertha and siblings in the 66th Division of Oglethorpe County. Lebertha had real estate valued at $500. Susan’s brother John worked as a farmer. An Armstrong family lived in the home with Susan’s family consisting of Lucinda (age 45, farmer), Joseph (age 20), Rebecca (age 18), William (age 16, farmer), and Mary (age 11). I have no clue what the connection is to Susan’s family, but wonder if perhaps Labertha and Lucinda are sisters. I can’t find any records to help figure that out at this point.

Susan married Robert Chester Lankford, son of Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, in Oglethorpe County on December 10, 1854, in a ceremony performed by John R. Young, a Baptist clergyman. 

Marriage record for Susan Brooks and Robert Lankford (click to enlarge)

The Temperance Banner of Penfield, Georgia published the following on January 6, 1855:

Married, … On Sunday morning, the 10th ult., by Rev. J. R. Young, Mr. Robert C. Lankford to Miss Susan E. Brooke, all of Oglethorpe county, Ga.

Marriage announcement published in The Temperance Banner on January 6, 1855 (click to enlarge)

As best I can tell, this couple had four children together—Elizabeth Susan Lankford, Edward James Lankford, Charles F. Lankford, and Robert S. Lankford. The book Cemeteries of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Second Edition, published in 2002 by Historic Oglethorpe County, Inc., records a child named Elizabeth as the daughter of R. C. and Elizabeth Lankford. The name BROOK is noted in the book as well. Elizabeth was born September 10, 1852, and died December 2, 1854. The book The History of Oglethorpe County, Georgia by Mrs. Florrie Carter Smith published in 1970 states that a daughter named Elizabeth died in infancy but does not specify who the mother was. Assuming the birth date in the book is correct, this means she was born out of wedlock since Susan and Robert did not marry until December 10, 1854, eight days after Elizabeth’s death. Son Edward James Lankford was born December 1855 in Oglethorpe County. A second son, Charles F. Lankford, was born April 1857, most likely in Oglethorpe County. The fourth child, Robert S. Lankford, was born April 22, 1858, again, most likely Oglethorpe County. Sadly, Susan, just 21-years-old, died in Oglethorpe County on May 24, 1859. Her infant son Robert died on June 17, 1859, less than a month after his mother. The Daily Constitutionalist published the following on July 14, 1859:

Obituary. Died, in Oglethorpe county, Ga., on the 24th day of May last, Susan E. Lankford, wife of Robert C. Lankford, and youngest child of Silas and Lebertha Brook, aged twenty-one years.

Deceased was the subject of affliction for several years, which she bore with Christian resignation. She embraced religion when but a girl, and united with the Baptist Church at Baird’s, Oglethorpe county, and lived a devoted Christian until her death. She left an infant child which only lived eight weeks, and two other children, husband, and widowed mother to mourn her loss. For several days previous to her death she gave the brightest and strongest evidence of her acceptance with God. She exhorted husband and friends to meet her in Heaven. Her illness, though short, was severe and painful; but the God whom she loved stood by and supported her in the hour of her trials, and calmly and peacefully she fell asleep in Jesus. J.H.M. 

Susan's obituary published in The Daily Constitutionalist on July 14, 1859

According to the book Cemeteries of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Second Edition published by Historic Oglethorpe County, Inc. in 2002, Susan was buried at the Lankford Cemetery in Oglethorpe County. This cemetery is “located on ridge top about 60 yards west of County Road 253, 0.7 miles northwest of its intersection with County Road 108.” Susan, and the two children who died, are recorded on page 215.

For many years, I thought Susan was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia because her name, birth and death dates are engraved on one side of her husband’s obelisk. It reads:

Susie E. Lankford

Born Apr. 4, 1838,

Died May 24, 1859.

Susan’s cenotaph (top photo) on Robert’s obelisk (bottom photo)

Even though Susan is not actually buried at Bairdstown Cemetery, I am including her in my list of connections buried there because of the cenotaph on Robert’s obelisk.

References

• Cemeteries of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Second Edition, Historic Oglethorpe County, Inc., 2002.
• E. S. Brook and R. C. Lankford, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828-1978.
• Edward James Lankford, Standard Certificate of Death no. 12033, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
• Personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
• Robert C. Lankford to Miss Susan E. Brooke, The Temperance Banner, Penfield, Georgia, January 6, 1855.
• Silas Brook and Lebitha Mickelberry, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828-1978.
• Silas Brook, Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992.
• Smith, Mrs. Florrie Carter, The History of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1970.
• Susan E. Lankford, Obituary, The Daily Constitutionalist, Augusta, Georgia, July 14, 1859.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1860.
• U.S. Federal Census, Division 66, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1850.